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Controlled or Free? (Freedom, Parenting Style, School)

Me – “Do you feel controlled by the way I parent or do you mostly feel that you have freedom by the way I parent?”

Her – “Freedom.”

Me – “Oh good. That’s how I want you to feel.”

Not sure what got me thinking about asking her that. Perhaps it was the other day, which she then brought up

Her – “Except when you told me I had to throw that piece of paper away that I wanted to draw.”

Me – “Yeah, well, we have four thousand school papers to go through, and you want to keep something you haven’t even looked at for weeks. Fine, I’ll dig it out for you. I was just frustrated with the pile.”

She smiled. Sometimes, I think she looks at me with an, “Oh, Daddy, life is so much easier than you make it” look.

I wanted to hear again from her an answer to my question; make sure she wasn’t just telling me what I wanted to hear.

Me – “So you feel controlled or you feel freedom?”

Her – “Freedom. I feel mostly free.”

Me – “Then why do you ask for permission all the time on little things? I mostly tell you to listen to your own wisdom and make up your own mind about things, anyway.”

She didn’t have an answer. I think it comes from school, but that’s another topic. But it was also early morning. Maybe not the best time for a deep discussion as she munched her watermelon.

Welcome. Like countless parents, helping my child experience the best start to life that I can muster is my passion. Here I track meaningful, humorous and thought-provoking moments on the journey with my daughter.